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AIM 

4/20/23

 

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Potential Flight Hazards

b.

FAA regulations prohibit the disruption of aviation activity by any person on the ground or in the air. The

FAA and the Food and Drug Administration (the Federal agency that has the responsibility to enforce compliance
with Federal requirements for laser systems and laser light show products) are working together to ensure that
operators of these devices do not pose a hazard to aircraft operators.

c.

Pilots should be aware that illumination from these laser operations are able to create temporary vision

impairment miles from the actual location. In addition, these operations can produce permanent eye damage.
Pilots should make themselves aware of where these activities are being conducted and avoid these areas if
possible.

d.

Recent and increasing incidents of unauthorized illumination of aircraft by lasers, as well as the

proliferation and increasing sophistication of laser devices available to the general public, dictates that the FAA,
in coordination with other government agencies, take action to safeguard flights from these unauthorized
illuminations.

e.

Pilots should report laser illumination activity to the controlling Air Traffic Control facilities, Federal

Contract Towers or Flight Service Stations as soon as possible after the event. The following information should
be included:

1.

UTC Date and Time of Event.

2.

Call Sign or Aircraft Registration Number.

3.

Type Aircraft.

4.

Nearest Major City.

5.

Altitude.

6.

Location of Event (Latitude/Longitude and/or Fixed Radial Distance (FRD)).

7.

Brief Description of the Event and any other Pertinent Information.

f.

Pilots are also encouraged to complete the Laser Beam Exposure Questionnaire located on the FAA Laser

Safety Initiative website at http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/lasers/ and submit electronically per the
directions on the questionnaire, as soon as possible after landing.

g.

When a laser event is reported to an air traffic facility, a general caution warning will be broadcasted on

all appropriate frequencies every five minutes for 20 minutes and broadcasted on the ATIS for one hour following
the report.

PHRASEOLOGY

UNAUTHORIZED LASER ILLUMINATION EVENT, (UTC time), (location), (altitude), (color), (direction).

EXAMPLE

“Unauthorized laser illumination event, at 0100z, 8 mile final runway 18R at 3,000 feet, green laser from the southwest.”

REFERENCE

FAA Order JO 7110.65, Para 10

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14, Unauthorized Laser Illumination of Aircraft.

FAA Order JO 7210.3, Para

 

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27, Reporting Unauthorized Laser Illumination of Aircraft.

h.

When these activities become known to the FAA, Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) are issued to inform

the aviation community of the events. Pilots should consult NOTAMs or the Special Notices section of the Chart
Supplement U.S. for information regarding these activities.

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14. Flying in Flat Light, Brown Out Conditions, and White Out Conditions

a. Flat Light.

Flat light is an optical illusion, also known as “

sector or partial white out

.” It is not as severe

as “white out” but the condition causes pilots to lose their depth

of

field and contrast in vision. Flat light

conditions are usually accompanied by overcast skies inhibiting any visual clues. Such conditions can occur
anywhere in the world, primarily in snow covered areas but can occur in dust, sand, mud flats, or on glassy water.
Flat light can completely obscure features of the terrain, creating an inability to distinguish distances and closure